Machines for the packing of bottles or like articles into cases or the like



Sept. 12, 1961 R. M. BERRY 2,999,343 MACHINES FOR THE PACKING OF BOTTLES OR LIKE ARTICLES INTO CASES OR THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1960 Inventor ROBERT M. BERRY y QQMQQ Attorney 2,999,343 Patented Sept. 12, 1961 MACS FOR THE PACKING F BOTTLES OR LIKE ARTICLES lNTO CASES OR THE LIKE Robert Michael Berry, Forest House, Birmingham Road, Henley-in-Arden, England Filed Mar. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 15,506 1 Claim. (Cl. 53-166) This invention comprises improvements in or relating to machines for the packing of bottles or like articles into cases, the bottles or like articles being carried in a counterbalanced head frame.

It has been found in practice, when such machines are used in the packing of partitioned cases, in the event of a partition being damaged or out of alignment, on the descent of the bottle or like article into the case that on meeting a damaged or out of aligned partition, the bottle or like article is damaged by the rate of its descent into contact with the damaged or out of aligned partition, which necessitates the stopping of the machine and the clearing of same.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby in the event of the jamming of a bottle or the like article in the packing case, further movement of the head frame carrying the bottles is restricted, so that damage to the bottles or like articles, or machine is eliminated.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevation of a counterbalanced head frame with an air cylinder and piston, and

FIGURE 2 is a section of the air cylinder and piston, according to this invention.

in the embodiment of the present invention as shown upon the accompanying drawings, its application will be described in relation to a machine for the packing of bottles or like articles into cases or the like as described in my British Patent No. 758,360.

The head frame 4 of the machine is counterbalanced by a piston 5 located in an air cylinder 6 suitably weighted, whereby on the descent of the head frame 4, its initial travel is comparatively rapid, which is controlled by a valve not shown, which controls the outlet 7 in an extension 8 from the air cylinder 6 being well open to permit of a rapid descent.

The period of this initial descent is such as to bring the lower end of the bottles or like articles 9 which are located in the grippers 10 in the head frame 4, into substantial alignment with the top of the partitions 11 of the packing case 12, when the outlet 7 from the air cylinder 6 is automatically closed by a secondary piston 13 which can be adjustably mounted on the piston rod 14 to regulate its &

operative position, when entering the extension 8 of the air cylinder 6 and closing the main air outlet 7 from the air cylinder 6 located in the extension 8. The air from the cylinder 6 is now bye-passed along a bye-pass 15 through a secondary outlet 16, which outlet, can be adjusted by a suitable valve to control the rate of travel of the descent of the head frame 4 and with it the bottle or like grippers it? over that period of descent when the bottles or like articles are about to be located in the partitioned packing case 12 to give a comparative slow travel to the head frame 4- and likewise the bottles or like articles 9 into the packing case 12.

In the event of any of the bottles or like articles 9 meeting a damaged or displaced partition 11 in the packing case 12 which impedes its progress, such bottles or the like 53 would be cushioned against the displaced or damaged partition 11 to be pushed gently into the grippers 10, sufficient space being provided therein for such movement. The machine would then be brought to a stop, when the operator would release the air from the air cylinder 6 by a hand control and return the head frame 4 to a raised position to permit of the damaged packing case being removed.

What I claim is:

A machine for the packing of bottles or like articles into cases or the like, of the kind embodying an unfettered counter balanced head frame in which a plurality of bottles or the like are held for lowering into a packing case, comprising an air cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said air cylinder, a piston rod coupled to said piston and connected to said head frame, a secondary piston mounted on said piston rod, the position of which is adjustable in accordance to the required initial downward travel of the head frame, a primary outlet to said air cylinder to permit of the passage of air from said cylinder during the initial descent of the head frame, and a secondary restricted outlet to said air cylinder operable on the closing of the primary outlet by the secondary piston to retard the rate of travel of the head frame during the remainder of its descent.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,729,374 Haycock Jan. 3, 1956 2,823,946 Okulitch et al. Feb. 18, 1958 2,898,715 Cella Aug. 11, 1959 OTHER REFERENCES Websters New International Dictionary, 2nd edition, unabridged, 1937, pg. 670. (Copy in Div. 17.) 

